“You know something? There’re times where I just really hate my job. This just happens to be one of those times.”

Roland smirked at his partner’s statement and silently agreed with her. They stood across from their destination and he watched as men of different ages walk in and out of the building. The bouncers stopped them right at the entrance, checking their ID’s before letting people in. With each opening of the door, music blasted onto the streets, the bass hammering along the streets before disappearing behind the closed door. Occasionally, Roland would watch as group of women walk towards the club, their chatter and laughter loud enough for him to hear from his position across the street before they proceeded into the club. A small group made their way towards the establishment and one of the women looked towards his direction and stared directly at him. He watched as the woman smiled gently at him before handing her ID to security and entering the club after her friends.

“You seem popular,” Rayna teased. “Have you been here before?”

Roland looked over at her. She was leaning against a mailbox, picking at the dirt beneath her nails out of sheer boredom. Her jet black hair was pulled neatly into a high ponytail atop of her head while her bangs stopped just inches above her down casted eyes. Her pale skin held a rosy glow from the late autumn breeze. Even while slouching against the mailbox, she was taller than the average woman, reaching his shoulders when she stood, but that was to be expected of his kind.

Roman gave her a small smile before glancing back at the strip club. “Perhaps I have,” he replied honestly.

He felt Rayna’s intense stare at his comment. “Why,” she demanded. “For business or for pleasure?”

“Always business…” he paused before adding, “maybe with some pleasure.”

He heard Rayna curse low beneath her breath, causing him to chuckle. Within minutes, he straightened his posture and forced his mind back on their goal. “We’re wasting time by staying out here.”

She scoffed her disgust. “I’m not stepping foot into Lucky’s. You can go. I’ll keep watch out here.”

Roland looked at her again, his brows rose in inquiry. Her face held no expression, but her dark eyes shown her displeasure. There was no point in wasting even more time with arguing with her. Instead, Roland shrugged his shoulders and began unlatching his various weapons off his waist.

“It shouldn’t take long,” he informed her as he reach to remove his gun from his waist. “I’ll go in, ask a few questions and then leave. Hopefully she will know something useful.”

“Hopefully you will come back alive,” Rayna pointed out.

Roland turned to her again. Her gaze was still directed towards the club, but she reached out to take the weapons from him. He nodded in silent agreement before crossing the street. As he got closer to the club, a strange sensation settled into the pit of his stomach. Somehow, Roland knew that he was not going to like what was waiting for him behind the double doors. He approached the bouncer and handed him his ID although Roland knew that he didn’t need to do so; the information on it was a complete lie, except for his name, but he did so anyway, watching as the man glanced between Roland and the given information. A few minutes had passed before Security handed it back to him. Roland nodded his head, pocketing his fake ID back in his pants as he pushed open the door to the club.

Music vibrated off the walls and onto his body the moment he stepped in. He glanced around, catching everything and missing nothing at the same time. The place was packed tonight, but that was to be expected on a Friday night. He stood near the entrance, resting his back against the darkened wall and folded his arms against his chest as he tried to appear relaxed in a crowded place. Inside, he was on edge, as if he was a wolf trapped in a cage. Large crowds had always made him weary and this was no different. Each of his senses were on high alert, making him more edgy and alert than he already was. Roland pushed himself off the wall and moved deeper into the gentleman’s club. He walked down the stairs, ignoring the women who came towards him to ask if he wanted a dance or a drink from the bar that wrapped around the center stage. Women dressed in what seemed like swimwear danced on the flashing stage, some using the poles to shimmy themselves higher into the air for the entertainment of their viewers. Men and women tossed money onto the stage, egging their performers on for more.

He was disgusted. His people weren’t accustomed to this lifestyle. Their men viewed women as a gift from Mother Earth herself and to see these humans fall victim to their lust made Roland’s insides crawl with loathing. As he approached the bar, he forced himself to remain focused on the task at hand. The quicker he accomplished his mission, the sooner he was able to leave this place.

Roland sat in an empty seat and a bartender approached him. She stood in silence for all of a heartbeat before asking for his order. “Jack and coke,” he said casually. She nodded and began to make his drink.

“For a man who never touches alcohol, you sure do know your drinks.”

He closed his eyes, not at all surprised that his target had found him before he had found her. This was her environment, her playground. He felt as she pressed herself against his back, her hands gliding down his arms so lightly that he almost didn’t feel it. Roland opened his eyes just in time as his bartender returned with his drink. She glanced at the woman behind him and tightened her mouth before turning to her next customer. He dug into his pockets, completely ignoring the woman who kept herself pressed against his back, and pulled out a couple of bills. Placing the money onto the bar, Roland picked up his drink and turned to face his companion.

She was a woman that other women would envy and hate. Her short frame was full of womanly curves. She was clad in baggy black pants, her thick hips the only means of holding them up and a mini leather jacket that was open to reveal a red lace bra that was sheer enough to see the caramel complexion of her areolas with a matching thong. Her soft auburn skin glowed with health and her chocolate brown eyes shown with lust and intellect. Her lush lips curved into a smile that could melt hearts and fill any man – and women if she chose – into a lustful frenzy. Her dark hair fell in thick and tight ringlets around her petite face and bounced as she tilted her head seductively to the left. She placed one hand on her hip and slouched slightly towards the right, her round breasts bouncing invitingly.

“Vivian,” Roland greeted low, knowing that she would hear him even under the loud music.

She pouted in mock sorrow. “No hugs? What about a kiss? I haven’t seen you in such a long time, wolf man. I deserve a proper greeting other than stating my name,” Vivian replied back, her voice alluring. He noticed out of his peripheral vision the man across from him turned away from the woman that he was speaking to at the sound of Vivian’s voice. He was enthralled, completely forgetting about the woman he was with. The lady called to him, but the man never turned back and with a few choice words, she left and wondered deeper into the club.

“There’s no time for idle chit-chat, Vivian,” he said, cutting straight to the point. “You have information that I need.”

Vivian pouted again, “you’re no fun…in fact, you never were.” She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She tilted her chin upwards, a sly smile danced onto her face as her eyes darkened with mischief. “Very well, we can talk…only if I can have my fun as we discuss…business.”

Roland smiled at that and tilted his drink towards her. “As you wish,” he agreed. He stood up and followed closely behind Vivian as they maneuvered deeper into the club. He watched as men and women stopped what they were doing to stare at Vivian as they walked by. She smiled at every one of them, her eyes seductively hidden beneath thick lashes. She was a woman who eluded sex…and rightfully so. She was a Succubus and sex was her life’s blood. They made their way towards the private rooms and Vivian opened one of the doors, allowing Roland entrance. He walked in and looked around. The floor was covered in a thick black carpet with a king size bed directly in the middle. Surrounding the walls and ceiling were mirrors and Roland had to suppress a groan of annoyance.

“Humans do love to watch as they fulfill their every desire,” Vivian answered his thoughts as she closed the door. At once, the room became deathly quiet as the door blocked off the music on the other side. She crossed over to a small table that was tucked against the corner of the room and plugged her iPod into the speakers. Soft music began to echo around the room and Roland watched as Vivian turned back to face him. “This facility and every other like are breeding grounds for lust, sex and sinful thoughts to be explored.” She tilted her head towards the ceiling and tossed her arms outwards, looking at her reflection in the mirrors above as she inhaled deeply. “It sustains me…”

“I told you outside, Vivian. I have no time for idle conversation. My partner is waiting for me outside and she also has no patience.”

That caught Vivian’s attention. She lowered her arms and crossed them beneath her supple breasts. She looked away, her eyes squinting in distain as a frown replaced her smile. “Rayna…she’s such a pain in my ass and not in a good way.”

Roland remained silent and Vivian tilted her head again. She looked at Roland from the bridge of her nose and smirked. “She could wait a little bit longer and if she has a problem with it then she could take it up with me. You have questions…I have answers.” She moved in silence and stood before Roland. He allowed her to push him towards the bed and sat him down onto the edge. Slowly, she slid his coat off his shoulders as she spoke. “So, Roland…what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you this night? Obviously it’s not for a one night stand.”

“What do you know on Raine’s death?”

She looked at him then, her chocolate eyes searching his stern features. She reached a cool hand up and placed it onto the side of his face just as she straddled his lap. “Well…” she began softly as she stroked his face as if she was his lover, “I didn’t expect for you to be so curious about Succubi Law with you being a ‘Thrope and all.”

“Don’t worry about why I am, Vivian. I just need to know what happened to Raine.”

She stared at him for little over two heartbeats before laying him on his back. Slowly as if lost in thought, she began unbuttoning his shirt. “I don’t know much,” she answered honestly. “Raine and I used to work together a couple years back. Almost around the time I first ran into you, Roland.” She smiled then as the memories came flooding back. “You were just as sexy as you are now, my dear, but you were easier to tease than you are now.”

Roland remained quiet as she worked at his buttons. Vivian moved her hips slightly, caressing her warm core over his groin in a teasing gesture. He watched as desire filled her eyes, brightening her irises to a soft dark blue as she pushed open his shirt to reveal his muscular chest. Her breast rose as desire slowly spread through her. She rested cool hands onto the warmth of his chest and stroked at his hair. Vivian licked at her lower lip before leaning down to nuzzle against his neck. Roland closed his eyes and used his training to not fall under her spell. He gripped at the silk sheets beneath them. Yes they were both creatures that human thought only existed in books and movies, but Vivian knew that even he, a strong warrior with an even stronger will, was, after all a man and every man had needs. Her mouth moved lightly against the crook of his neck as her nails moved like feathers down his sides. She sat up, her eyes now the color of sunrise, and looked down at him.

“Last I saw Raine was a few months back,” she continued, her voice husky and dripping with lust. She frowned slightly and bit at the insides of her lip. Her hands absentmindedly caressed his chest. “She never complained about someone following her or having any weird feelings so her death came as a surprise to me.”

“So you don’t know who her killer is?” He made the question a statement, keeping his voice level.

She shook her head slowly. She rubbed herself against his groin again, closing her eyes and letting a soft purr escape her throat at the feel of his hardness pressing tightly against his jeans. There was no way around his own building desires, but Roland clinched tightly onto his will. If he fell victim now, he would never get any answers from her. His fingers dug deeper into the sheet and silently to himself where no one could hear, he cursed at his kind’s weakness.